Dealing with a personal injury can be a life-altering experience. In addition to the physical pain and discomfort, you may also have to contend with an assortment of mental, financial and personal issues related to your claims process. The following are tips to help manage the stress and hardships associated with a personal injury experience.

Two Types of Injuries

Medical malpractice and getting hurt on the job are two well-known areas associated with a personal injury. When you’re feeling sick or injured, you put your trust into your physician or hospital facility. With many of them on patient overload, they occasionally make mistakes and offer inadequate treatment. This form of neglect could even result in a permanent injury or fatality. Close to 100,000 deaths are related to medical malpractice cases every year, often leaving victims floating in a sea of debt. An on-the-job injury is just as serious, and typically happens due to neglect or safety code violations. Thousands of people are hurt in a work related injury every year, and their emotional and financial processes are often lengthy and stressful.

Dealing with the Stress Related to a Personal Injury

It can be difficult to deal with the pain, stress and aggravation that is typically associated with a personal injury. Depending on its extent, you may have to contend with an endless pile of bills, limited to no money coming in, and physical and mental anguish. This can have a crippling effect on your work, personal and family life. A knowledgeable and experienced personal injury attorney can determine if you have a case or not. In doing so, they can aggressively pursue the appropriate avenues to determine if neglect was at the center of these issues. If so, they can seek the proper monetary compensation for the client, and possibly prevent this from happening to anyone else.

Note that most reputable personal injury firms follow the contingency model; they do not take a fee unless you get financial recovery. If a permanent injury or death was the end result, you or your family members may need the help of a physical therapist or counselor/therapist to get through this traumatic ordeal.

Preventing Accidents and Injuries

There are a number of steps you can take on your own to prevent medical malpractice or work related injury situations. You can research and find a physician and hospital facility that are on the ball and have their patients concern at the forefront. You also need to follow the doctor’s recommended care and treatment plan for your ailment. If something looks to be out of the ordinary, you need to speak up and ask questions. Also, don’t discount the value of getting second opinions, and pay attention to your own intuition. 

Injuries at work can be avoided by making yourself aware of any on the job hazards. An employer should also follow the OSHA safety guidelines to protect the employees and customers within the facility. To ensure your work environment is safe, you need to follow your workplace dress code. This could include making sure your hair is tied back, and wearing proper safety goggles and footwear, and the correct personal protective equipment that meets the risks of the job involved. Essentially, your role is to follow the established codes of conduct, read any safety manuals provided by your place of employment, and if necessary, ask other employees about past injury situations so you can learn from past mistakes.

A personal injury caused by medical malpractice or work related injury can have long-lasting repercussions. Taking the appropriate steps to prevent them before they occur, and knowing how to deal with the stresses once they happen, can help relieve some of the emotional burden.

Akilah Richards is a former legal assistant who has seen how vital an attorney can be for a person who suffered pain or injury due to someone elses negligence. Price Benowitz, LLP,  offers information and resources for individuals in need of legal representation for any Maryland work accident or malpractice occurrence.